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Every year on the first Friday in February, people across the country pause the usual routine to celebrate National Work Naked Day. While the name might catch you off guard at first, this quirky observance is less about actual nudity and more about what it represents: comfort, flexibility, freedom, and a modern approach to how we work. What Is National Work Naked Day? National Work Naked Day is not a call to strip down in a traditional office setting (unless you work somewhere fun). Instead, it’s a lighthearted holiday created to recognize the rise of remote work and the comfort that comes with working from home. The concept was popularized by home-office expert and author Lisa Kanarek as a way to encourage people to embrace the relaxed environment of a home workspace. For some, that might...

Photo: Andrés Tonini, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons In three weeks, I and some friends will be heading to Zipolite, Mexico, for our very first time. This story is gathered from articles I've read. I will be doing a follow-up after we are back. On Mexico’s Pacific coast, in the southern state of Oaxaca, lies Zipolite—a small beach town with an outsized place in global naturist and queer culture. In 2016, Zipolite was officially designated a nude (clothing-optional) beach by the municipal government of San Pedro Pochutla, making it Mexico’s first — and still only — legally recognized nude beach. For gay naturists in particular, that legal recognition formalized what had already existed for decades: a rare public space in Mexico where the naked body, queer desire, and personal freedom c...

If you’re thinking about attending your first Utah Male Naturist event, chances are the biggest thing holding you back isn’t logistics, it’s fear. Fear of being seen. Fear of not fitting in. Fear of doing something “wrong.” And, very commonly, fear of getting an erection. Let’s start by saying this plainly: feeling nervous before your first event is completely normal. Almost every man who has ever attended his first naturist gathering has felt the same way. Naturism asks us to drop more than our clothes; it asks us to drop layers of social conditioning, shame, and comparison that most of us have carried for decades. Many first-timers worry about body judgment. Too old, too young, too thin, too heavy, too hairy, not hairy enough. The list goes on. What surprises most newcomers is how quickl...

Most people think of naturism and picture bright, sandy beaches (Like Black’s Beach, where I just returned from), warm sand, and summer days. But in Utah, where winter (usually) means snow, freezing temps, and long nights, naturism doesn’t just disappear. It adapts. Winter strips naturism down to its essentials. Without warmth on your side, it’s less about comfort and more about intention. Being nude in the cold, even for a few minutes, is deliberate. It’s about mindfulness, body acceptance, and community, not the weather. Except for recent years, Utah winters don’t mess around. Snow piles up along the Wasatch Front, roads turn to ice, and most everyone retreats inside. For naturists, that means getting creative about when and where you can actually be naked. No more backyard sunbathing. N...

by Michael Aaron, aka JeepNekkid I have run Utah Male Naturists since 2001, which means I have gotten a lot of questions about why male-only naturist organizations even exist. People are usually curious, sometimes skeptical, and occasionally uncomfortable with the whole idea. It’s a fair question, but you can’t answer it honestly without talking about how exclusion has shaped naturism from the beginning. Naturism began in late-19th-century Europe as a way for people to push back against industrialization, strict social rules, and the shame society imposed on the human body. Back then, most naturist groups were single-gender because that’s just how things were. Cultural norms and actual laws made mixed-gender social nudity either scandalous or illegal. When naturism made its way to North Am...

In the late 1970s, a group called Utah Men Enjoying Naturism, more commonly known as UMEN, was formed. It continued, with varying degrees of success, until late 1999. By the late 1990s, the group had become increasingly sexualized, featuring a playroom and largely ignoring overt sexual activity during events. It was also widely understood that shortly after the official end time, gatherings routinely shifted into explicitly sexual territory. According to members, newer and younger attendees were often pressured by older participants to enter the playroom. Many of those younger men eventually stopped coming, and once they were gone, participation from older members declined as well. I rarely attended events myself, but I served as the group’s self-appointed webmaster after purchasing the do...

Seattle’s beloved nude beach at Denny Blaine Park will remain open through at least next spring, following a King County Superior Court decision that sided with the city in an ongoing dispute with a group of nearby residents. Judge Samuel Chung ruled that the city has taken sufficient steps this summer to address complaints about behavior at the park — while still honoring its long-standing role as a welcoming, clothing-optional space. The decision comes after months of tension between the city and an anonymous group of neighbors calling themselves Denny Blaine Park for All, who sued in April to shut down the unofficial nude beach. The group accused Seattle Parks and Recreation of allowing “lewd and illegal” conduct to continue unchecked. In response, the city implemented a series of measu...

For years, the message has been drilled into us: avoid the sun, protect your skin, and slather on SPF. Dermatologists have told us the sun is dangerous, and to be fair, excessive UV exposure can cause real harm. But according to a new study highlighted by The Economist, the story of sunlight and health may be more nuanced—and even surprisingly hopeful. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh analyzed data from nearly 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank project. What they found challenges decades of conventional wisdom: people living in sunnier regions, like Cornwall, had a lower risk of dying from heart disease and cancer than those in the cloudier north. Even the use of sunbeds, often demonized, was linked to lower overall mortality, though the researchers noted that might simply in...

For centuries, the image of Jesus on the cross has been central to Christian iconography. From grand cathedral frescoes to humble wooden carvings, Jesus is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth—a final shred of dignity amid the agony of crucifixion. Yet, historical and biblical evidence strongly suggests that Jesus, like most victims of Roman crucifixion, was crucified naked. While this fact is often softened in art and teaching, it reveals deeper truths about the brutality of the crucifixion and the radical nature of the Christian message. Crucifixion in the Roman World Crucifixion was a punishment designed to be the most humiliating and painful form of execution available to the Roman Empire. It was reserved for slaves, rebels, and criminals who posed a threat to Roman order. It was...

On the TEDxStLouis stage, David Wraith stands in nothing but his underwear. With a wry grin, he acknowledges the age-old advice about public speaking: "Imagine your audience in their underwear." Then, with a pause, he quips, "I might be doing it wrong." The laughter that ripples through the crowd is just the beginning of an enlightening talk about vulnerability, body image, and the radical act of nudity. For over a decade, Wraith has been hosting clothing-optional events across North America, including poetry readings, holiday gatherings, and even a now-infamous nude bowling night. But his true passion lies in body image workshops, where he helps participants shed not just their clothing but also the insecurities and societal stigmas that often come with it. At the start of each workshop, ...

Dennis the Menace is a long-running comic series created by Hank Ketcham in 1951. The daily strip follows the antics of Dennis Mitchell, a mischievous but well-meaning young boy who often finds himself causing unintended chaos in his suburban neighborhood. With his signature red overalls, messy blond hair, and slingshot in his pocket, Dennis has been a staple of American pop culture for decades. One of Dennis’s quirks throughout the series is his dislike of wearing clothes, a common comedic theme in the comics. He frequently resists getting dressed, preferring to run around in nothing at all, much to the exasperation of his parents, Henry and Alice. His carefree attitude toward clothing adds to his playful, rebellious nature, reinforcing his role as the ultimate troublemaker with a heart o...

Introduction Naturism, also known as nudism, is a lifestyle that encourages non-sexual social nudity as a means of fostering self-acceptance, respect for others, and a deeper connection with nature. For many men, naturism provides a unique opportunity to embrace body positivity, find a sense of personal freedom, and connect with like-minded individuals in a welcoming community. Whether you're looking for a new way to relax, make friends, or explore a more natural way of living, this guide will help you navigate the world of naturism with confidence. In a society where body image and appearance play significant roles, especially within the gay male community, naturism offers an alternative perspective — one that values authenticity and self-acceptance over perfection. This guide will help d...